This invention relates to methods and equipment for treating animals including humans with ultrasonic waves for purposes of hygiene and therapy such as for example cleaning, microbicidal and antifungal activity and the promotion of epithelial healing.
In one class of ultrasonic treatment, ultrasonic sound is applied to a working fluid by a transducer. The part of the animal to be treated is immersed in the working fluid and the transducer transmits vibrations in the ultrasonic range to that animal through the working fluid.
In one prior art type of ultrasonic treatment for humans of this class, ultrasonic sound is applied to patients in a range of power levels of from 0 to 5 watts per square centimeter. It is generally used for stiff joints and muscular disorders. Other examples of treatment using ultrasound are provided in U.S. Pat. No. 4,501,151 to Christman, issued Feb. 26, 1985, for ULTRASONIC THERAPY APPLICATOR THAT MEASURES DOSAGE; U.S. Pat. No. 3,499,436 to Balamuth, issued Mar. 10, 1970, for METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TREATMENT OF ORGANIC STRUCTURES WITH COHERENT ELASTIC ENERGY WAVES; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,867,929 to Joyner et al., issued Feb. 25, 1975, for ULTRASONIC TREATMENT DEVICE AND METHODS FOR USING THE SAME; and West German Utility model G8714883.8.
The therapeutic treatment described in the prior art has several deficiencies, mainly arising from the failure to use appropriate frequencies and intensities of ultrasound. For example: (1) some frequencies and intensities increase the risk of overheating the underlying tissue of patients; and (2) some are not useable for hygienic purposes because the selected frequency is higher than desirable. Moreover, the prior art literature does not contemplate antiviral, antibacterial or antifungal activity and has not been applied in a manner to accomplish antiviral, antibacterial or antifungal activity in an effective manner.
It is known to clean parts of the body with the aid of ultrasonic waves transmitted through a liquid medium. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,970,073 to Prange, issued Jan. 31, 1961, for METHOD FOR ULTRASONIC SURGICAL CLEANING OF HUMAN BODY MEMBERS discloses the use of ultrasonic sound in a range of between 10 to 200 kilocycles per second in a solution of water, germicide and surfactant to cleanse a surgeons hands. This patent recommends powers below 5 watts per square centimeter and frequencies between 15 to 50 kilocycles per second.
Still another description of cleaning apparatus using ultrasound is provided in European patent application, publication no. 0049759 which describes the use of ultrasound and liquid to remove fingernail polish. In some embodiments, the frequencies are in the megahertz range extending from approximately 1/4 megahertz to 3 megahertz and in others are above 80 kilocycles such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,867,929.
This type of ultrasonic cleaning device has a disadvantage in that it is usable only with additives such as germicides in the case of U.S. Pat. No. 2,970,073 and nailpolish remover in the case of U.S. Pat. No. 3,316,922 or Offenlegungsschrift DE3238476 or European design patent G8714883.8.
The treatment of injured soft tissue and bone is known from Dyson et al. "Induction of Mast Cell Degranulation in Skin by Ultrasound", IEEE Transaction on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectronics and Frequency Control, vol. UFFC 31, n. 2, March 1986, pp. 194-201. However, this information has not been used in an integrated system for bathing and therapy.